Guest Post: Regardless Of What The Propaganda Says, This Is Not How A Free Society Treats People

Regardless Of What The Propaganda Says, This Is Not How A Free Society Treats People

I’ve been in the US for a little more than 24-hours. And having flipped through the TV channels trying to figure out what useless drivel big media is passing off as ‘news’, I realized that I’m going to vomit if I hear the word “fair” one more time.

This concept of ‘fair’ seems to be dominating discussion of the US government’s dismal fiscal condition. The talking heads say that it’s ‘fair’ for wealthy Americans to pay higher taxes and bail the country out… or that everyone needs to pay his/her ‘fair’ share.

The whole logic is absurd: you do not ‘fix’ the country’s fiscal imbalances by giving the idiots in charge even more resources to squander… it’s like dumping gasoline on a forest fire. Somehow the debate seems to have missed this point.

This ‘fair’ nonsense is also very dangerous. Just ask any three-year old– ‘fair’ is completely arbitrary. It’s like a Wiki version morality… if enough people agree on it, it’s fair.

In this case, ‘fair’ is defined in the sole discretion of those who are the direct beneficiaries of confiscating other people’s money. But let’s look at the numbers:

According to the IRS statistical database, the top 1% of income earners in the United States pays roughly 40% of all US individual income tax. They also get audited at least 5-times more than anyone else. Fair?

The other major complaint seems to be that the wealthy are ‘abusing’ capital gains rules in order to pay a 15% rate instead of a 35% rate. Duh. That’s why they’re wealthy, and stay wealthy… they don’t WORK for a living, they OWN assets which are subject to capital gains.

It seems so bizarre that a country once regarded as the freest, most economically enviable in the world would treat its productive citizens with such hostility.

This is where Eduardo Saverin comes in. The Facebook co-founder, who finds himself a few billion dollars richer this week, recently renounced his US citizenship. And, to the intelligentsia, it’s not ‘fair’.

‘Saverin needs to pay his fair share! He owes America more,’ they whine, completely ignorant that the 30-year old is already forking over a $500+ million exit tax (which may end up in the billions).

Apparently it’s not good enough that the company Saverin co-founded has created tens of thousands of jobs, spawned entire industries, and produced oodles of new millionaires. Oh yeah, it’s also made things damn easy for the CIA, NSA, and FBI. You’d think Uncle Sam would pin a medal on his chest.

But no. Saverin left behind a lot of value and decided to move on to greener pastures in Singapore. Now the do-gooders in Congress are cooking up new legislation (the EX-PATRIOT Act) designed to permanently bar ‘renunciants’ like Saverin from re-entering the United States.

It’s interesting that, rather than change their ways of doing business and introducing legislation that provides incentives for productive people to come here and stay here, they maintain policies that chase people away, and introduce new ones to lock the door after they’re gone.

The lesson here (especially for natural-born citizens) is this: simply by accident of birth, you are born with a lifelong obligation that you never signed up for to finance the corrupt misdealings of the political class. And if you choose to abandon this obligation, they will bar you from ever entering your homeland again.

Regardless of what the propaganda says, this is not how a free society treats people. It might look and feel like a representative democracy on the surface, but under the hood it’s the modern day equivalent of feudal serfdom.

So, shouldn't the destiny of the country be defined by those who pay the taxes?

Let's look at this. Surely, if Joe sixpack who pays no tax and relies on handouts should have no vote, and Severin and his 1% ilk should have 40% of the votes, do you not agree, that the US would become a true capitalist society in which those with capital would thrive, and those that provided the labour would enjoy a good living? Or do you think those with capital should be coerced into staying by a govt hell bent on taking that capital and giving it to someone else, (either someone who does no work or a bank) on pain of losing his birth right ever to return?

or do you think that the workers should have all the benfits (since they are the ones doing the labour), and that those that take the investment risk should be entitled to 'a little bit off the top' in fair compensation?

in howard county maryland today the news reported road blocks for seatbelt inspection......and if you were wearing your seatbelt they would give you a dollar.....i really dont know what to say at this point....

The Presidents NDAA executive order means that you can be taken in the night from your home, without a warrant, without habeas corpus, be tortured and be locked away forever. But, he believes that you should have the right to marry your butt buddy.

If that is considered upholding civil rights, the loss of liberty but the solemnization of sodomy, no wonder increasing numbers of americans want out of the USA.

And that statement was based on the fact that Ceasar's face was on the coinage--therefore it presumably "belonged" to him. Neither Turbo-Tax Timmy nor Obummer's image is on any of the money, so it definitely doesn't belong to them. Ergo, render nothing to them!

Eduardo Saverin should not be allowed back because now we HAVE TO LISTEN TO SHUMER with that horrendous nasal whining voice on the tv for the next few weeks. Actually Saverin is welcome back in my book, but I really hate to listen to Shumer....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Its a damn nightmare.

Don't worry about Saverin he still has his Israeli and Brazilian passports. This is all a big scam nobody with money like that comes out and says I'm renouncing my citizenship. Smoke and mirrors. Just like when Munger said don't buy gold what he was really saying was only certain people quietly buy gold. Saverin is telling certain people that its time to go away but do it quietly.

Google search how many CEO's have quietly retired and have disappeared. If any of this sounds familar it should it happened 70 years ago.

The other cosponser (Sen Kerry "D" Pa) was interviewed on CNBC about this and was asked three times, "Don't you think we should have tax policies that attract productive people rather than force them to leave" and each time his answer was, "People gotta pay their fair share. PA has poor people." The interviewer finally gave up.

Few are aware that he would face a host of new taxes and fees besides the IPO tax. How odd that it's liberals would who introduce border controls for US citizens.

If your definitions of communicator and leader fail to recognize the efforts of a man who has enlightened and motivated millions of people then may I suggest that you buy a dictionary. When you get a handle on English vocabulary perhaps you'll be able to communicate more effectively yourself.

Meaningful to whom? Ron Paul's words and actions have been very meaningful to me and millions of other people. I understand that you are unmoved by the man but it seems odd that you can't see the obvious effect he's had on the lives of a great number of people.

Well, if he had actually accomplished something, the states united would be more "free" today than when he took office in the 70s. As far as I can tell, the states united are far less free than when Dr. Paul assumed office.

Are you claiming that we would somehow have slipped into totalitarianism if not for the miraculous efforts of the Congressman from TX 14? That sounds like a bit of a stretch.

He has changed my life in more ways than I can count. The message of his got through to a hard core KILL ALL THOSE FUCKING MUSLIMS REPUBLICAN that I once was. I even have a Muslim neighbor and he and I have the best conversations I could ever have imagined. He loves the fact that I have so much knowledge and am SO DIFFERENT than the other Americans he has met. The same can be said of my Indian neighbor as well.

I read heard and understood the message fine and well and have never turned back.